CD storage device

ABSTRACT

The CD storage device includes a central positioning post being vacuum shaped of plastic with suitable elasticity, a plurality of solid top surfaces provided on the top of the central positioning post, the central positioning post is provided with more than one contractible-by-pressing gap to divide the central positioning post into a plurality of hollow separated blocks. Thereby an improved CD storage device is formed; the device is particularly suitable for vacuum forming with low cost to make positioning of the central positioning post for a CD, and is able to allow taking the CD off the CD storage device under the condition of applying a light force and scrape-proofing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention is related to a CD storage device, and especially to a central positioning post of the CD storage device suitable to be produced by a vacuum forming mode, with which a CD can be taken off the CD storage device under the condition of applying a light force and scrape-proofing.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Conventionally, to prevent superficial digital signals from damage, a CD is generally firmly positioned for storing; the most usual CD storage device is a CD storage cassette.

[0005] Taking the CD storage cassette 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as an example, the cassette 10 is provided with a recess 11 in coincidence by size with a CD 90, the recess 11 has a central positioning post 12 in coincidence by size with a central hole 91 of the CD 90. The central positioning post 12 has a plurality of radial slits 13 spaced equidistantly to form between every two radial slits 13 a pending “s” shaped sheet 14.

[0006] When the CD 90 is pressed following the down pointing arrow shown in FIG. 2 for storage, the plural pending “s” shaped sheets 14 will be forced forwards toward the center when the central hole 91 of the CD 90 is fitted over the central positioning post 12. When the CD 90 is pressed down to the root portion of the central positioning post 12 (as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 2), the plural pending “s” shaped sheets 14 will rebound by their own elasticity of material to firmly position the CD 90 in the CD storage cassette 10.

[0007] The structure of the CD storage cassette stated above must be formed to have a plurality of radial slits 13 spaced equidistantly, thereby conventionally, it is injection molded with a corresponding mold, and the cost of production thereof is higher. And more, when a CD 90 is to be taken out when it has been firmly positioned in the CD storage cassette 10, the outwardly elastic-stretching positioning force of the plural pending “s” shaped sheets 14 must cooperate with the pressing force exerted on the finger indents 19 provided on the periphery of the recess 11; this not only is inconvenient, but also is subjected to resulting scrape damage of the CD 90.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a CD storage device; the device is particularly suitable for vacuum forming with low cost to make positioning of a central positioning post for the CD, and is able to allow taking the CD off the CD storage device under the condition of applying a light force and scrape-proofing.

[0009] To obtain the object, the CD storage device of the present invention is provided with the central positioning post in coincidence by size with a central hole of the CD. The central positioning post is vacuum shaped of plastic with suitable elasticity to form a solid body extending from its root upwardly to several solid top surfaces. The central positioning post is further provided with at least a gap extending through the center thereof to divide the central positioning post into several hollow blocks.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the solid top surfaces of the central positioning post are plane surfaces.

[0011] In a practicable embodiment, there are two gaps intercrossing at the center of the central positioning post.

[0012] In another practicable embodiment, the central positioning post is composed of a plurality of separated arciform separated blocks.

[0013] The present invention will be apparent after reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof in reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a conventional CD storage device;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken from FIG. 1 showing the state of putting in and taking out of a CD;

[0016]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 4 is a top plain view of FIG. 3;

[0018]FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken from FIG. 3; and

[0019]FIG. 6 is a partial sectional schematic view like FIG. 5 showing a CD is placed in the CD storage device;

[0020]FIG. 7 is sectional schematic view like FIG. 6 showing the action of a pressing force on the central positioning post;

[0021]FIG. 8 is sectional schematic view like FIG. 7 showing the action of a pressing force made by a finger;

[0022]FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing installation of the CD storage device of the present invention;

[0023]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention;

[0024]FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken from FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0025] Referring to FIGS. 3-5, in the preferred embodiment shown, the present invention has a central positioning post 20 being vacuum shaped of plastic with suitable elasticity, and being in coincidence by size with a central hole 91 of a CD 90. The diameter of the central positioning post 20 is most preferably slightly larger than that of the central hole 91 of the CD 90, in order that the two can be snugly positioned in the normal state; the central positioning post 20 has several solid top surfaces 22 formed by vacuum shaping for the purpose of getting cozier feeling of press contacting during operation, the solid top surfaces 22 are preferably plain surfaces.

[0026] The central positioning post 20 is preferably provided with more than one contractible-by-pressing gap 24 extending through the center thereof; in the preferred embodiment shown, there are two gaps 24 intercrossing at the center of the central positioning post 20. The gaps 24 of the preferred embodiment shown has a specific width to reduce the volume of the central positioning post 20 (for the convenience of pressing by a force), and the inner surfaces 26 of the gaps 24 are preferably extended from the solid top surfaces 22 to the height near to that of a root portion 28 of the central positioning post 20. By providing the gaps 24, the entire central positioning post 20 is divided into several hollow separated blocks 20 a.

[0027] In the preferred embodiment shown, the central positioning post 20 is connected with a raised annulus 50 synchronically formed therewith through a bevel supporting-member 30. With the bevel supporting-member 30, a force-bearing structure with better elasticity is formed.

[0028] The central positioning post 20 of the present invention and its related members can thus be stored in a storage cassette 100 as shown in FIG. 9. In this embodiment, there are shown a plurality of finger indents 105, however, from the description below, it can be seen that the finger indents 105 are optional means.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 6, when in storing the CD 90, it can have its center hole aligned with the central positioning post 20, then the center hole is gradually pressed down and slipped over the central positioning post 20; when the center hole of the CD 90 is pressed down to be in position, the CD 90 is firmly positioned by the elasticity of the material of the device.

[0030] When it is desired to take out the stored CD 90, as shown in FIG. 7, a vertical downward pressing force can be exerted onto the central positioning post 20 to make it and the bevel supporting-member 30 moved by pressing from a position whereat the bevel supporting-member 30 is radially bevel (shown by the dotted line in the drawing) to a position whereat the bevel supporting-member 30 is nearly horizontal (shown by the solid line in the drawing) to render the center hole 91 of the CD 90 to move to be around the upper edges of the separated blocks, then the CD 90 is in a loosened state ready for taking out of the cassette. Under the practical operating state as shown in FIG. 8, a hand 80 of a user presses the central positioning post 20 with a finger 81 thereof, and moves the CD 90 away from the stored position with another finger 82 for taking out.

[0031] The present invention needs only to press at the center position to release the stored CD 90 for taking out without a larger force for moving the CD 90 as is the case of the conventional situation; it can assure the CD 90 not to be damaged during the process of taking out by only pressing vertically onto the top of the central positioning post 20 without exerting radially a force to the periphery of the CD 90 as is the case of the conventional situation. Thereby, the present invention is more suitable for various types of storage cassettes.

[0032] When the CD 90 is to be taken out from the tightly contacting position of the center hole 91 with the central positioning post 20, the solid top surfaces 22 of the central positioning post 20 can be pressed down in the first place, by the fact that the central positioning post 20 is divided into several hollow separated blocks 20 a, the separated blocks 20 a are slightly gotten close inwardly to the gaps 24 which are empty basically to make the diameter (of the central positioning post 20) reduced; and following descending of the bevel supporting-member 30 therebeneath, the center hole 91 of the CD 90 is completely gotten rid of the central positioning post 20, the CD 90 can thus be taken out without hindering. By virtue that the CD 90 is completely released before being taken out, the finger indents 105 can thus be optional means.

[0033] After the pressing force for taking out the CD 90 is released, the central positioning post 20 and its related members rebound to their original positions by their own elastic restoring force and are ready for slipping thereover and positioning another CD.

[0034] In another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 10, 11, a central positioning post 200 includes a straight stub 201 having a suitable diameter and a suitable height in coincidence with the thickness of a CD, and includes a plurality of arciform separated blocks 202 mutually spaced and extending upwardly from the straight stub 201 to form desired contractible-by-pressing gaps. To get a larger bearing strength, the arciform separated blocks 202 are formed from an arciform sections 203 which each is smaller up and larger down, the junctions of the arciform sections 203 with the straight stub 201 are wider and from which upwardly the widths are gradually reduced till the corresponding top ends, so that is convenient for a force to exert on it and the structure has sufficient strength to bear. In the drawing shown, the embodiment has three mutually spaced arciform sections 203 forming the arciform separated blocks 202.

[0035] In this way, the improved structure of the present invention stated above thereby can form the CD storage device by vacuum shaping with lower cost; and thereby an advantage that a CD is taken off the CD storage device under the condition of applying a light force and scrape-proofing can be obtained, the present invention surely has the value of industrial utility.

[0036] The preferred embodiments cited above are only for illustrating, and not for giving any limitation to the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various modifications or changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit, and all such modifications and changes shall fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A CD storage device in which the improvement comprising: a central positioning post in coincidence by size with a central hole of a CD, being vacuum shaped of plastic with elasticity; an elastic force-bearing structure formed from a bevel supporting-member connected with the root portion of said central positioning post; and a plurality of solid top surfaces provided on the top of said central positioning post; said central positioning post is provided with more than one contractible-by-pressing gap to divide said central positioning post into a plurality of hollow separated blocks.
 2. The CD storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said solid top surfaces of said central positioning post are plain surfaces.
 3. The CD storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said gaps are two gaps intercrossing at the center of said central positioning post.
 4. The CD storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner surfaces of said gaps are extended from said solid top surfaces to the height near to that of a root portion of said central positioning post.
 5. The CD storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said central positioning post includes a straight stub having a diameter and a height in coincidence with the thickness of a CD, and includes a plurality of said separated blocks which are arciform and mutually spaced and extend upwardly from said straight stub to form said contractible-by-pressing gaps desired. 